Switch for trolley-wires.



No. 869,955. PATBNTBD Nov. 5, v1907.

' F. M. ZIMMBRMAN.

SWITCH POR TROLLEY WIRES.A

l.APPLIOATION FILED 0053.23, 1905.

1 Mum- E III PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

F. M. ZIMMERMAN;

SWIT'GH FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

APPLIUATION ,FILED 0m23.190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lll

vm@ m UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFTQF.

FRANK M. ZIMMERMAN, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH FOB. TROLLEY-WIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application ne@ october 23,1905. seraiNo. 283,897.

ivo. 869,955. Patented Nov. 5, 1907'.

To all 'whom it may concern: rib h2 and fastened to one of said ribswith a screw d Be it known that I, FRANK M. ZIMMERMAN, a citizen (Fig.7), and two split bolts g hold the wires f and f/ to of the UnitedStates, residing in Aurora, Kane county, the cap-roof from which saidwires descend to the front Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Imend ofthe rear wire-clasps e. Between the inner endsproveniente in Switches for Trolley-Wires, of which the of said threewire-clasps e, vibrate, laterally, two following is a full and correctdescription of the same, switch-blades j which at their forward endshave high reference being had to the accompanying two sheets of lugs Zand which pass to the top of the raised cell b drawings, formingaparthereof, and in which where they are hung on pins k, and near their rearFigure l shows my said device in top plan view; Fig. ends said blades jare provided with pins c which are 2 shows the same in sectional sideelevation, taken on parallel to the lower or trolley edges of the bladesand the cutting plane 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 shows Fig. l in are at thetop edge ofthe rear ends of the blades j, and bottom plan view withbothswitch-bladesin their norsaid pins c and lc are so placed as tocause the blades mal position; Fig. 4 shows Fig. 3 with itsswitch-blades j to take their normal positions7 relative to the otherreceiving a trolley-wheel at the switch-point; Fig. 5 co-working partsas shown in Fig. 3, their rear ends are shows a cross-section of Fig. lon the cutting-plane 5 5 about half the thickness of the blade widerout, on each of Fig. l; Fig. 6 shows a cross-section of Fig. l on the lside, than the space over the butts of the clasps e, and cutting-plane G6 of Fig. l; Fig. 7 shows a cross-section in the front the points of theblades j stand away far of Fig. 4 on the cutting-plane 7 7; Fig. 8 showsa switchenough from the wire f to readily pass outside of the apblade infront view, or as seen from the front or point of preachingtrolley-wheel, as clearly indicated in Fig. the switch; Fig. 9 shows' arear view, or as seen from the 4, the edges jf being rounded outwardlyto insure said butt-end ofthe switch. result, the trolley-wheel alwayscoming at an angle to Like reference letters denote like partsthroughout. the line in the direction of the switch to be taken, thus,

As heretofore constructed trolley-switches could not thereby, slippinginside of one of the round faces j and thus pushing its switch-bladeoutward, while, at l the same time, the position of the trolley-wheelreaches over and catches the opposite switch-blade within the outer edgeof its groove and, thereby, throws the point of the blade j against thelside of the wire f before the tread of the wheel m is fairly on thewheeledge of the blade j, and which, as it advances, also throws therear end of the blade against the side of the wire and thus passes thetrolley-wheel smoothly and easily onto the wire-clasp e and from it thewheel runs smoothly onto its wire, after which thel switch-blades assumetheir normal positions by gravity. When the trolley-wheel runs in theopposite direction to the one shown the grooved tread readily catchesthe heel of the switch-blade and throws it against its wire and at thesame time brings the point-end of the switchblade against its wire sothat the wheel m may run easily from one clasp e to the other. Theopposite Depending from the front end of the switch is a web dswitch-blade will then always be pushed out and away to which isattached the single wire-holding clasp e to its outer position, orfarthest from the trolley-wire. holding the trolley-wire f and saidclasp is secured to Studs n under the pins c on the blade j strikeagainst the web d by means of a screw d/ (Fig. 2) and said wire f thecap-sides and prevent said blades from passing is raised, quite sharply,from the inner end of the clasp outward beyond their normal position andalso aid in e and is clamped against the roof of the cap by means of.bringing the blade within the reach of the groove of the a split bolt gthe legs of which stride said wire f and the l trolley-wheel. rib handon the rib h rides a washer 'i and on it is a nut t l My construction ofswitches passes a trolley-wheel on the bolt. Beyond the bolts g the ribh consists of i pass a trolley-wheel without manual assistance in oneway if it was to pass in both directions. In my device said manualassistance is dispensed with and the trolley-wheel passes over theswitch from either direction with equal facility.

The object of my invention is to provide a trolleywire switch whichshall act automatically and place itselt` rightly for the trolley-wheelin whichever way the said wheel may be approaching it. To attain saiddesirable ends I construct my said new device in substantially thefollowing manner, namely;

l provide a flanged and ribbed body, cap, or cover a l having flanges aand provided with special cells, or chambers b near the point-end of theswitch in which to hang the switch-blades, together with suitable cellsc (Fig. 2) near the rear end of the switch to receive and hold the pinsor lugs c which carry the rear end of the switch-blade.

from one wire to the other with scarcely a break in the two parts hf.smoothness and evenness of the line on which the From the rear end ofthe switch run wires f and f/ of wheel-tread rolls, and the switch isequally effective which the latter terminates beyond the bolt g and ishoused and, thereby, undisturbed by ice or sleet. The vided with a claspe which is fastened to a dependent trolley-pole o always sets its wheelat the angle through which, "with my mechanism, my said results areattained.

What l clain'l is: i

1. The combination with a main and divergent trolley- Wires andswitch-blades suspended and movable, laterally, from end to end and insame direction at their lower edges, of a trolley-wheel to close one ofsaid blades to the main ivireiin going in either direction to saidswitch.

2. 'l'he combination with a main and divergent trolley- Wires andswitch-blades suspended and movable, laterally, from end to end and inSame direction at their lower edges, ol a trolley-Wheel to converge oneof said blades to said main wire and to, simultaneously, diverge theopposite one of said blades from said main wire while going in eitherdirection to said switch.

23, The combination with a main and divergent trolley wires, ot's\vitcl1-blades on fixed points, said blades normail)v apart and ol`largest motion at their point-ends, and viln'ntable transversely totheir vertical plane of direction from said suspensions.

4. lhe combination with a main anddivergent trolley- Wires, olswitclrblades on iixed suspensions. and vibratable theiei'roni,transversely to their vertical plane of direction,

`or' lili-gest lnotion at their p0int-ends, each, alternately, touching'the side of the main Wire.

The combination with a cap, main and divergent wires thereto,switclrblades, suspended from said cap vand movable, laterally, from endto end and in same direction at their lower edges, of a trolley-wheel toclose one of said blades to the main wire in going in either directionto said switch.

ti. The combination with a main and divergent trolley- Wires, ofswitch-blades to said several wires, on fixed suspensions, normallyapart, and of largest motion at theil` point ends, vibratable towardseach other, and automatic means to connect either blade with the mainand a divergent trolley-wire.

T. The combination with a main and divergent tro1leywires, andswitclrlilades, normally open, of a trolley-Wheel with but a singleflange on each side thereof to close one o1 said blades with one of itsflanges, rection to said switches.

FRANK M. ZIMMERMAN Witnesses WM. ZIMMERMAN, N. E. LOMBARD.

in going in either di-

